The party has been contacted by a nobleman who explains that he wants them to recover a portrait of one of his ancestors, which was stolen by raiders many years ago and ended up, through a number of different owners, in the collection of a rich and powerful aristocrat. He will pay generously for their time and effort, which will be considerable because the collector is a man not to be messed with – he has connections, money, security and a sense of vengeance. The party will need to take care – the DM should ensure that the collector’s house is guarded by traps, wards and other impressive protection.

Should the party succeed (and there is every chance that they will not) then their troubles are really only beginning. The truth behind the painting is somewhat more complex than the party’s patron realises. He’s not done his homework because the portrait of his ancestor was painted over an earlier picture in order to hide it. It had to be hidden because it was in fact a real Type II demon which had been trapped in the form of a picture by a powerful magician.

Nobody knew what lay under the portrait but somehow the demon managed to exude a sense of wrongness about the painting, so much so that its subject could not bring himself to display it and kept it in storage. When it was stolen by raiders, the original owner was pleased to see it go; since then, everyone who has owned it, by fair means or foul has suffered because of it. Fires, accidents, madness, rage, suicide; as the years have gone by, the demonic influence has increased. It may well be that in some way, the portrait has become slightly damaged in one corner and the demon is putting forth all its efforts to encourage anyone nearby to free it. Of course, the notoriety of the supposedly ‘cursed’ painting is what caused the collector to covet it in the first place.

As the party travels back to their patron with the portrait, they may well notice the slight damage. The DM might work on their paranoia (all parties have this, it shouldn’t be too difficult) to make them think they caused it and that this will decrease the value of the portrait. NPCs who get too close to the portrait may start to come under its baleful influence. The aim of the demon is to escape its confines and start wreaking havoc in the world at large.

The patron will almost certainly notice the damage and may start to wonder about what lies beneath the portrait. If he starts to pick at the paint, goodness knows what will happen – but the DM will almost certainly want it to happen with the party in the immediate vicinity.

Another idea is for the collector’s heavies to arrive whilst the patron is paying the party. A mass combat will almost certainly damage the portrait with all the horrible consequences.

The demon had treasure of quite some value but it was lost when it was captured and sealed in the picture. It is Treasure Type C, whose stats are as follows:

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About Me

Over halfway to 90, I started playing AD&D when the Police were a cool band and Punk was wild. I am a father to a ten-year-old Junior Grognard and have now managed to establish a five-strong gaming group made up of him and four of his friends, ages ranging from 10 to 11. Solidly Old-School.
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